Topic: Best way to Crash???

[aquadorhj]

the narrow offset crash test result thread got me thinking.  (yes, i know.. i may be thinking too much.)

If you were in an accident condition, and you cannot avoid it, how would you try to maneuver the crash in your advantage?   that is, if you can maneuver at all.


those of you who never had any sort of collision can just imagine the situation.

those who had been in collisions, think back to what you did or what you wish you did to improve the situation.


when i had my collisions, i did think 'oh sh1t' but not much else.   there were no "time slowing down and i see everything clearly" moment for me.     

But, I think in more high speed crash situation i would try and maneuver it side ways so i would hit rear driver side at angle to deflect the momentum....  wishful thinking, but that's my plan.


HOWEVER, cars nowdays are designed to crash safest at full frontal impact upto 40~ ish MPH.. 
So, How would YOU want to crash.?

[dkaz]

At 100km/h, I'd aim for the ditch. Doesn't YD also teach to aim for the shoulder on the other side if there's no exit route on your shoulder?

At 60km/h, if I had no exit route, I'd swerve into the crash so at least half the car was involved in the impact, at least until I get a car that scores good on small overlap.  Doing a 180 might be doable at this speed.

[Black Hatch]

Interesting topic.
I've had my share of oh sh!t what do I do moments impending to a crash.
I don't know about you but it almost seems like time stands still for a few moments when the crash is about to occur and you actually do have some moment to reflect.

The worst would be to try to do anything an abrupt evasion and I don't think I'm that good to do a 180 and have the collision hit the trunk. So last two options out.

Most likely would be me trying to minimize the damage with a glancing blow or avoiding the area where I would get hit.
When I was hit on my RX-8, the SUV was aimed for my driver-side door and luckily I had accelerated myself out and had the SUV hit my rear quarter. 
If I didn't do that I could have been alot of hurt inspite of airbags going off.

The best way probably to do a full frontal as thats how cars are design for best it seems.

[dr_spock]

Best way to crash is not to crash in the first place.  Drive according to the conditions and plan ahead to give yourself an escape route. 

If I have to crash, I would go for a glancing blow. 

[Bubba]

Unavoidable?  You mean directly in front of you?  In that case, straight on and take advantage of your vehicle's crumple zone and airbags.

[tpl]

On a road with other traffic ...plus what is about to hit you... try to aim for something with the lowest closing velocity to you .   For example, hit the side of a car going in your direction...you'll probably both go off the road but you will have dissipated some energy. Or scrape along a crash barrier. 

The more energy you get rid of before you hit something immoveable or coming your way the better.
Try to avoid trees, far too strong and the point of impact is concentrated.

What is recommended re Moose?   Aim for the legs?

[Ex-airbalancer]

Maybe auto editor could ask different car manufactures what their engineers would do

[Bubba]

On second thought, I'd say on fire and at 300 mph. 

[PJ]

Don't crash.  If you have time to think about the best way then you have time to avoid the crash altogether.

Too many people seem to think accidents are unavoidable and just part of driving.

[aquadorhj]

Ok guys. Everybody know the best crash is no crash at all but I'm asking IF u were imminently crashing,  how or where would you crash.

[phazotron]

The smart thing to do is to dissipate your linear momentum to highest degree possible before final impact...slam them brakes!


Though being on fire at 300mph would be very cool as well

[PJ]

Ok guys. Everybody know the best crash is no crash at all but I'm asking IF u were imminently crashing,  how or where would you crash.

I'd still avoid the crash.

[Patrick_D1]

On a road with other traffic ...plus what is about to hit you... try to aim for something with the lowest closing velocity to you .   For example, hit the side of a car going in your direction...you'll probably both go off the road but you will have dissipated some energy. Or scrape along a crash barrier. 

The more energy you get rid of before you hit something immoveable or coming your way the better.
Try to avoid trees, far too strong and the point of impact is concentrated.

What is recommended re Moose?   Aim for the legs?

That's the perfect way to get killed. With an adult moose, hitting the legs often drops the animal's torso right onto the driver's compartment. With a moose, evasion is always preferable.

[blotter]

I've had a lot of close calls; some would be consider self-inflicting due to being a newly licenced cocky young guy.   You could almost say I've matured a lot in my decade plus of experience and now close calls are due to avoiding trouble.   I think even back in the day I've managed to pull myself out of some seriously close calls.  Partial skill and lots of luck.

However I did have one accident and while it was the only one, it totalled the car.
I think I had my licence for less than a year.  My parents had a brand new Honda Accord.  It was 1996.
There's a rural road that takes out to a small day use Provincial Park that I hike and bike in.  Four of us in my parent's car headed off.   The funny thing is I drove the limit because I had just seen a cop.   One of the final sections of the road was gravel.   It's a mild curve and being we were rally obsessed; i took the curve right at 60km/h and pulled the hand brake.   I had done this many times, but this time things didn't play out as normal.   First issue was the fact they had just put a fresh layer of gravel on the corner. 

At first the car slid too much, steering was completely lost.  I didn't worry too much, no ditches in this corner.   I Black Hatch said, the scene seems to unfold in total slow motion.   The car was heading across the road with no real control as we did a power slide through the corner.   It only became a problem when I quickly realized the car was heading right for the only tree on both sides of the road.   When I realized this I let off the gas and tried to correct the cars steering to no avail.   It had too much momentum and zero grip.   So my second try was to hit the gas and maybe get the car to spring past the tree.   This is when things seemed slow motion but the accident was all over in a blink.

I kept trying to get the car to steer past the tree and for a moment it seemed like it might, but all of a sudden... BANG..............    Dead silence...

Somehow we hit the tree head on and the car bounced almost 180 degrees around the tree and still facing it… I don’t remember any of that.  All I remember is the impact and a crumpled front end covering my view out the windshield.   The stereo stopped, all power was cut off.  I couldn’t open my doors.  I remember my friend was the first to say anything… he freaked out, not at me but our situation and how I just killed my parent’s new car.   I couldn’t open my door.  The car was a write off.  We got lucky and walked away without a scratch.   The cops couldn’t believe we didn’t get hurt.   My parents were supportive until they saw the car and that’s when my dad freaked out and assumed I was speeding.   Needless to say, I had to buy my own car after that. 

Two weeks after my accident, the Region paved that corner.   The tree, a massive weeping willow with a 5 foot wide trunk died this past year and they cut it down.   

I've been accident free since!

[Fobroader]

I still think avoidance is the best way to crash. Ive avoided many a crash in my big, ungainly pickup, you in your small, nimble little hatchback should be able to no problem. I always try to avoid the accident so if it does happen, it wont be head on, Id rather sideswipe or have the guy hit me in the back door or box.

[Bubba]

That's the perfect way to get killed. With an adult moose, hitting the legs often drops the animal's torso right onto the driver's compartment. With a moose, evasion is always preferable.

MP Steven Fletcher is a prime example of how damaging a moose collision can be.

[Northernridge]

In Manitoba taking to the ditch always seems like a viable option to avoid a collision...end up in a farmer's field. Whereas in Northwest Ontario...say on 11/17, take a hard right and you explode into a rock escarpment leaving a big black burn mark on the highway where you and your car used to be...and causing the only east-west highway in the country to be closed for 10 hours.

[Fobroader]

Ive had to hit the ditch a few times to avoid other accidents, for the most part, its the best way to go. For me, worst thing that happened is I got stuck, a little bit of back and forth and I got out just fine. Hitting the ditch is a lot softer than a transport truck.....

[aquadorhj]

hmm.. hitting the ditch, eh.    that's one option i didn't consider.    i was thinking more along the lines of urban highways but that's a valid strategy for out of town crash evasion.

[Fobroader]

hmm.. hitting the ditch, eh.    that's one option i didn't consider.    i was thinking more along the lines of urban highways but that's a valid strategy for out of town crash evasion.

Even urban ones...Id much rather scrape to a stop along a concrete armco than go headfirst into another vehicle. Trees, streetlights, traffic signs, bridge abutments, semis....all very bad for you...